American Teen - Review
For a first effort, American Teen is undeniably impressive. It is a simple, soulful music built on repetition that catches your ear and makes you want to keep listening. But by virtue of this style, it is restricted in some way. It is not deep, but it means something to the 19 year old who made it. It is music about being an American Teen. Finding your place in life, exploring the world and experiencing all of its ups and downs that come with it. He compares it to a rollercoaster in “Coasts” and while the metaphor is apt, it’s far from original.
The album sounds great, but it is extremely shallow. You want more out of it, but the repetition is all you get. He’s “young, dumb, and broke” and he makes sure that we know it by saying it over and over again. It drives the point home, but there comes a moment where you want more out of a track, but there is just nothing there for you.
Luckily, he sounds fantastic while he’s singing, and the album is carried by the strength of his voice and the beat behind it. It is almost hypnotic, as he croons and sings about teenage loves. His voice has depth to it, a lot of power behind his voice. You can see the benefits of his classical training coming through in his raw technical ability to sing. His mother is a member of the U.S. Army Band, and it’s taken him across the country, studying music for much of his life. He brings it to bear in each song, but unfortunately it is not matched by his songwriting ability.
The album is held back by the writing. It speaks to a certain unfamiliar naivety with the world, and the reliance on cliche and repetition drags on as you listen. It is a beautiful sounding album, but in this case, the beauty is only skin deep as he stretches some of his ideas too thin. He’s a great singer, but not a great writer.
3/5
Tracklist:
1. American Teen
2. Young Dumb & Broke
3. Location
4. Another Sad Love Song
5. Saved
6. Coaster
7. 8TEEN
8. Let’s Go
9. Hopeless
10. Cold Blooded
11. Winter
12. Therapy
13. Keep Me
14. Shot Down
15. Angels
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Tom has been writing about media since he was a senior in high school. He likes long walks on the beach, dark liquor, and when characters reload guns in action movies.
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